Council of Religions calls on Syrians to reject hate speech, live within a unified Syria

The Council of Religions and Beliefs in Northeast Syria organized a dialogue forum today under the slogan “Our Vision for Syria’s Constitutional Project in Accordance with the Cultural, Ethnic, and Religious Diversity of the Syrian People” at the Golden Crescent Cultural Center in Hasakah city.

The forum gathered dozens of representatives from religious institutions, including Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Alawites, and Yazidis, alongside representatives from women’s and cultural organizations.

The forum began with a moment of silence, followed by the formation of an administrative committee comprising representatives from various religions and beliefs.

During the forum, Walida Bouti, a member of Kongra Star Coordination, presented the seven principles developed by the Council of Religions and Beliefs regarding the Syrian constitution. These principles were previously agreed upon in a dialogue meeting held in Qamishlo on January 5, 2025.

The seven principles focus on:

- Rejecting religious, sectarian, and ethnic discrimination, guaranteeing equality and protecting freedom of belief for all Syrians, while maintaining state neutrality toward religions.

- Recognizing Syria as a multi-religious, multi-belief, and multi-ethnic state, with equal rights and duties for all citizens.

- Respecting the educational specificity of each religion and belief, while incorporating a shared understanding of Syria’s religious history into school curricula.

- Protecting sacred sites and granting each religious group the right to oversee the management of its holy places.

-Ensuring women’s participation in public life and rejecting any discrimination or persecution under religious or cultural pretexts.

-Identifying and holding accountable those responsible for crimes against Yazidis and all victims of crimes against humanity, bringing them to justice according to international standards.

Huda Shekhmos, representative of the Zoroastrian faith, affirmed that Syria’s religious communities are united by bonds of love and spirit. She stressed the importance of opening hearts before minds and distancing from hate speech to guarantee peaceful coexistence within a unified Syria.

She added that every Syrian has the right to live according to their religious identity and practice their beliefs without fear or discrimination.

Following the presentation, the floor was opened for discussion on the seven principles and ways to overcome outdated beliefs and sectarian rhetoric, aiming to formulate a common vision for a new constitution that reflects Syria’s cultural and religious diversity.

On the sidelines of the forum, ANHA agency met with Hassan Mohammed, a member of the Coordination Council of Religions and Beliefs in Northeast Syria. He noted that a forum was previously held on January 5 of this year in Qamishlo, with the participation of 250 religious figures from Northeast Syria, including Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri and representatives of the Alawite community. He added: “At that forum, we reached consensus on seven principles regarding the Syrian constitution.”

In conclusion, Hassan Mohammed emphasized that “the aim of organizing today’s dialogue forum in Hasakah was to discuss the seven principles related to the Syrian constitution in order to reach final conclusions on these principles.”

ANHA